Monday Newsmaker: Helping veterans in college

Donni Prince is the veterans resource specialist and VA school certifying official at College of the Desert. She has been with the veterans program for all of her 35 years that she’s worked at COD. She started as a clerk working with the coordinator of veterans affairs who started the COD Veterans Services program in 1978.

When she began her career at COD she was working with Vietnam-era veterans, who were older than her. Now her vets, no matter what their age, are her “kids.”

Besides her work with veterans, she also spent many years as a statistician for the COD basketball team and a few years with the football team.

Prince, who now lives in in Palm Desert, was born and raised in Palm Springs. She earned her associate of arts degree from COD in 1977.

Her father, Frank R. Prince, served on active duty during World War II and later in the U.S. Army Reserves. He retired as a lieutenant colonel. She attributes his service to giving her that special place in her heart for veterans.

QUESTION: College of the Desert started helping veterans in 1973 when former Marine Matt Monica, a coordinator, counselor and instructor for 33 years, launched the veterans program. That was when the Vietnam War was still going on. You started as a clerk with the program in 1978. Tell us about those early days.

ANSWER: Since its establishment in 1973, thousands of students have received assistance from the COD veterans program. Monica created the program to assist veterans attending college on the GI Bill. Many of the Vietnam veterans had a hard time with the transition from military service to civilian life. There wasn’t the welcome home and appreciation that we have today for veterans.

Many of the former servicemen did not want to be identified as a veteran on the campus. Even today, one of the primary issues facing combat veterans is the social isolation they feel when they return from combat. Many veterans have difficulty adjusting to civilian life, much less adjusting to the academic rigor and social atmosphere of an active college campus. We provide critical support needed to help them with that transition.

Your father, Frank Prince, was an Army lieutenant colonel who served in World War II and later in the reserves. How did he influence you and the work you do?

I have many special memories of hanging out at the armory in San Bernardino, where my father retired as the commanding officer. Being around people that are in the military and veterans has always been a part of my life and I have a special place in my heart for those who have served and their families. I want to do as much as I can to assist them in their education and help them start a new career in a field they will enjoy as much as I enjoy mine.

How many veterans attend COD? How many are on the GI Bill? What does the GI Bill do for a veteran at the college?

We know of about 350 veterans attending College of the Desert this semester. According to the state chancellor’s office, more than half of all California veterans use their GI Bill benefits to enroll in a California community college. There are about 200 veterans who are students are using their GI Bill benefits to attend COD.

There are six different such benefit programs for veterans, plus an additional benefit for dependents of 100 percent disabled veterans. The most popular benefit is the Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill. If a veteran is attending school full time and served at least three years after 9/11, their current benefit is $1,737 a month. Plus, the state pays required fees, except health fees and parking costs, for California residents, and they receive about $500 per semester for books and supplies.

With the increase in veterans after the first Gulf War, and later because of the recession, the college opened a new 1,000-square-foot Veterans Resource Center in November 2012. It was supported by a $150,000 donation by the Bighorn Golf Club Charities and by the College of the Desert Foundation. Tell us how that came about.

Veterans Services numbers at the college have doubled in the last five years. Colleges across the nation are expecting similar increases in numbers because of the drawdown in the military. Some colleges have been setting up areas for veterans to have their own “space.”

COD started with a small room in spring 2011 that had two old computers, an old printer and a small table with four chairs. We often had a full house and seating overflowed to chairs outside the room, clearly showing student veterans interest in having their own space. Later that year, COD Foundation launched a fundraising drive for a center.

Thanks to the generosity of Bighorn Golf Club members we were able to open for business in August 2012. In recognition for their support the facility was named the Bighorn Golf Club Charities Veterans Resource Center. We are so grateful for the generosity of local donors. The center is one a small way to say thank you to our veterans for their service to our country and for what they and their families sacrificed.

How are the needs of veterans different from the needs of other students?

At the college, veterans are considered non-traditional students, and can range in age from 21 years or so to their 50s and 60s. Most are in their mid-20s to early 30s. Most have served at least three years in the military and have been exposed to different cultures, living and serving in locations far from home. Many have dealt with the day-to-day, life-threatening war zone activities. Returning to civilian life can be a major transition. I think it helps many of them to be around fellow veterans — to share their stories, let off steam and be with others who understand what they’ve experienced.

When you see veterans with signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where do you turn? Does that happen often?

PTSD can affect their sleeping habits, their patience and concentration in class. We have a close relationship with our COD Disabled Students Programs and Services Office and with the Veterans Association resources. We are lucky to have the Palm Desert VA Clinic to assist veterans with their medical care and the San Bernardino Vet Center that helps veterans with readjustment counseling. The COD Foundation is currently raising funds to add an academic counselor and a specially trained mental health counselor to support student veterans. The part-time academic counselor will develop student education plans, offer study skills and career development workshops and make referrals to mental health services as needed. The part-time psychological services counselor will address mental health issues related to adjusting to college life and the stress of returning from combat, such as PTSD, combat stress and integration. Community support to assist with these critical needs is always welcome and appreciated. More information is at: www.CODFoundation.org/veterans-resource-center

What services do the Veterans Resource Center offer to students?

The center offers veterans and their dependents a place to come for information on the VA’s education benefits programs. We offer help applying for college and GI Bill programs.

I also keep information on other VA programs and encourage veterans to check out the VA Healthcare System. Many returning veterans with combat experience qualify for free medical care of one kind or another. We can help them identify their exact benefits and how to access them.

We also work closely with and refer veterans to the VA, Loma Linda VA Hospital, Palm Desert VA Clinic, San Bernardino Vet Center, Riverside County Veterans Services Office in Indio, vet reps at the Workforce Development Center in Indio and the local veterans’ service organizations. We are a member of VEAP — Veterans Easy Access Program that hosts the annual Veterans Expo in Indio.

Do you have a suggestion for the Monday Newsmaker feature? Email Community Conversations Editor James Folmer at james.folmer@thedesertsun.com or call (760) 778-4625.